ASTM D6699-01(2010)
(Practice)Standard Practice for Sampling Liquids Using Bailers
Standard Practice for Sampling Liquids Using Bailers
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
A bailer is a device for obtaining a sample from stratified or un-stratified waters and liquid wastes. The most common use of a bailer is for sampling ground water from single-screened wells (Fig. 1) and well clusters (see Guide D4448).
This practice is applicable to sampling water and liquid wastes. The sampling procedure will depend on sampling plan and the data quality objectives (DQOs) (Practice D5792).
Bailers may be used to purge ground water wells prior to sampling, but bailers are poor devices for removing large volumes of water.
Bailers may be used to sample waters and liquid wastes in underground and above ground tanks and surface impoundments. However, the design of the unit and associated piping should be well understood so that the bailer can access the desired compartment and depth. Any stratification of the liquid should be identified prior to sampling.
Note 1—Viscous liquids and suspended solids may interfere with a bailer's designed operation.
Bailers do not subject the sample to pressure extremes. Bailing does disturb the water column and may cause changes to the parameters to be measured (for example, turbidity, gases, etc.).
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the procedure for sampling stratified or un-stratified waters and liquid waste using bailers.
1.2 Three specific bailers are discussed in this practice. The bailers are the single and double check valve and differential pressure.
1.3 This standard does not cover all of the bailing devices available to the user. The bailers chosen for this practice are typical of those commercially available.
1.4 This practice should be used in conjunction with Guide D4687, Practice D5088, and Practice D5283.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D6699 − 01(Reapproved 2010)
Standard Practice for
Sampling Liquids Using Bailers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6699; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope lated to Waste Management Activities: Development of
Data Quality Objectives
1.1 This practice covers the procedure for sampling strati-
D6051 Guide for Composite Sampling and Field Subsam-
fied or un-stratified waters and liquid waste using bailers.
pling for Environmental Waste Management Activities
1.2 Three specific bailers are discussed in this practice. The
D6232 Guide for Selection of Sampling Equipment for
bailers are the single and double check valve and differential
WasteandContaminatedMediaDataCollectionActivities
pressure.
D6517 Guide for Field Preservation of Groundwater
Samples
1.3 This standard does not cover all of the bailing devices
available to the user. The bailers chosen for this practice are D6564 Guide for Field Filtration of Groundwater Samples
D6634 Guide for Selection of Purging and Sampling De-
typical of those commercially available.
vices for Groundwater Monitoring Wells
1.4 This practice should be used in conjunction with Guide
2.2 EPA Standard:
D4687, Practice D5088, and Practice D5283.
EPA SW 486 RCRA Samples
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3. Terminology
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1 See Terminology D5681.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 A clean bailer is lowered into the liquid to be sampled
2. Referenced Documents
using a suspension line (see Fig. 1). The bailer chamber is
2.1 ASTM Standards:
allowed to fill with the sample. The check valve or valves on
D4448 Guide for Sampling Ground-Water Monitoring Wells
bailers close when the bailer stops. The bailer is raised to the
D4687 Guide for General Planning of Waste Sampling
surface where the sample is discharged into a clean sample
D4750 Test Method for Determining Subsurface Liquid
confiner.
Levels in a Borehole or Monitoring Well (Observation
Well) (Withdrawn 2010)
5. Significance and Use
D5088 Practice for Decontamination of Field Equipment
5.1 A bailer is a device for obtaining a sample from
Used at Waste Sites
stratified or un-stratified waters and liquid wastes. The most
D5283 Practice for Generation of Environmental Data Re-
common use of a bailer is for sampling ground water from
lated to Waste ManagementActivities: QualityAssurance
single-screened wells (Fig. 1) and well clusters (see Guide
and Quality Control Planning and Implementation
D4448).
D5681 Terminology for Waste and Waste Management
5.2 This practice is applicable to sampling water and liquid
D5792 Practice for Generation of Environmental Data Re-
wastes. The sampling procedure will depend on sampling plan
and the data quality objectives (DQOs) (Practice D5792).
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D34 on Waste
5.3 Bailersmaybeusedtopurgegroundwaterwellspriorto
Management and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D34.01.03 on
sampling, but bailers are poor devices for removing large
Sampling Equipment.
volumes of water.
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2010. Published January 2011. Originally
approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as D6699-01 (2006).
5.4 Bailers may be used to sample waters and liquid wastes
DOI: 10.1520/D6699-01R10.
in underground and above ground tanks and surface impound-
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
ments. However, the design of the unit and associated piping
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
should be well understood so that the bailer can access the
the ASTM website.
desired compartment and depth.Any stratification of the liquid
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
www.astm.org. should be identified prior to sampling.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D6699 − 01 (2010)
TABLE 1 General Advantages and Limitations of Bailers
Advantages Limitations
Simple to use Time consuming to use
Some have a low initial cost Valves may leak
Can be made almost any size Tend to expose sample to the
atmosphere
Can be constructed of a variety May result in sample
of materials contamination
No external power source Bailers are not suitable for
needed sampling thin surface layers
like thin layers of light non-
aqueous phase liquids
6.2.1.2 General advantages and limitations of bailers are
listed in Table 1.
6.2.2 Single Valve Bailer (Fig. 2):
6.2.2.1 Asingle check valve bailer is a length of tubing with
acheckvalveinthebottom.Thebottomvalveallowsthebailer
to fill and retain the sample.
6.2.2.2 The bottom-emptying bailers with controlled flow
valves (Fig. 3) are used for collecting samples for volatile
organic analyses.
6.2.2.3 Advantages—Low initial cost, and it is mechanically
simple.
6.2.2.4 Limitations—Applicable to surface sampling only,
FIG. 1 Bailer Sampling a Screened Well
disturbs the sample, and exposes the samples to the atmo-
sphere.
NOTE 1—Viscous liquids and suspended solids may interfere with a
6.2.3 Double Valve Bailers (Fig. 4):
bailer’s designed operation.
6.2.3.1 Adouble check valve bailer has an additional check
5.5 Bailers do not subject the sample to pressure extremes.
valve at the top of the body that allows sampling at a specific
Bailing does disturb the water column and may cause changes
depth. As the bailer is lowered through the liquid column, the
totheparameterstobemeasured(forexample,turbidity,gases,
liquid flows through the bailer until the sampling level is
etc.).
reached. At the sampling point, the two check valves close to
contain the sample. Because the difference between each ball
6. Sampling Equipment
and check valve seat is the same, both check valves close
6.1 Bailers are versatile devices constructed in different
simultaneously upon retrieval. The valve from the valve seat is
sizes and from a variety of materials. Some bailers are
maintainedbyapinthatblocksverticalmovementofthecheck
designed using a threaded section that allows the user to
ball. A drainage pin is placed into the bottom of the bailer to
change the volume of the bailer by connecting additional
drain the sample directly into a sample bottle.
sections. When sampling for volatile organic compounds
6.2.3.2 Advantage—It can sample at any point in a liquid
(VOCs) in liquids, specialized bailers that have a sample
column.
control or a draft valve near the bottom of the bailer are used.
6.2.3.3 Limitation—It can become contaminated with the
Thecontrolvalveallowsasampletobedrainedfromthebailer
overlaying material as the sampler approaches the targeted
with minimal loss of volatile compounds.
sampling point.
6.2 Three general types of bailers are a single check valve 6.2.4 Differential Pressure Bailer (Fig. 5):
bailer, a double check valve bailer, and a differential pressure 6.2.4.1 The differential pressure bailer is a canister with two
bailer (hydrostatic pressure allows the bailer to fill through the small diameter tubes of different heights built into the remov-
lower tube and release displaced air through the upper tube). able top. It is usually made from stainless steel to provide
Advantages and limitations of bailers are found in Guides sufficient weight to allow it to be lowered rapidly to the desired
D6232 and D6634. A description of the equipment and the sampling depth. Once the bailer is stopped, hydrostatic pres-
advantages and limitations of bailers in general and specific sure allows the bailer to fill through the lower tube at the same
limitations of the single and double check valve bailers and the time as air is displaced through the upper tube.
differential pressure bailer are as f
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